Automatic switch



(No Model.)

P. LENTZ.

AUTOMATIC SWITGH. Nq.'579,881. Patented Mar. 30, 1897.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES P s I6 1112 v I U ATTORNEY PETER LENTZ, OF STEELTON,PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,881, dated March30, 1897. Application filed November 24, 1896. Serial No. 613,351- (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom zit may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER LENTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Steelton, in the county of Dauphin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inAutomatic Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in automaticswitches and means for operating the same, and has for its object to soarrange a switch and switch mechanism relative to mechanism carried by acar as to put the switch under the control of the motorman while the caris in motion, thereby obviating the necessity of having to stop the carto change the switch.

WVith this end in view this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, its constructionand operation will now be described in detail, referring to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-Figure l is a front view of a portion of a car having my improvementapplied thereto and a section of the road-bed, illustrating the switchmechanism placed therein; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the switchmechanism in the opposite position to that shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, aplan view of the railway-track, the switch mechanism being illustratedin dotted lines; and Fig. 4, a section of the carplatform,illustratingthe application of my improvement thereto and also a section of theroad-bed lengthwise of the track, showing the relative position of oneof the strikers to the switching-block when operating the latter.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied the frog A of an ordinaryswitch for street-railway service has attached thereto the rod B, whichis arranged beneath the road-bed, as clearly shown, and this rod in turnis connected to the arm 0 of the rocklever D, the last-named lever beingpivoted at E to a suitable lug secured within the recess F. The lever Dhas pivoted at each of upward through an opening in the road-bed and hasits upper end inclined, as indicated at H, from which it will be seenthat should one of these switching-blocks be depressed to approximatelythe level of the road-bed the rock-lever would be so swung upon itspivot as to operate the frog in one direction or the other, as the casemay be, through the medium of the connecting-rod B, and when theopposite switchingblock is depressed the first-named block would beelevated, while the frog would be forced in an opposite direction. Tobring about these operations of the switching-blocks from the car whilesaid car is in motion, strikers I are carried by the bars J, whichlatter pass upward through the floor of the platform of the car and arepivoted at K to the levers L, which levers are provided with handles ineasy reach of the motorman for his control.

Aseries of ratchet-teeth M are formed upon each of the bars J, and apawl N is arranged for engagement with these teeth, so that the bars maybe held in any desired adjustment, as will be readily understood. Fromthis it will be seen that when a car is approaching a switch themotorman may operate the frog of said switch so as to permit the car tocontinue upon the main line or turn therefrom to the branch line bysimply depressing the striker for bringing about the proper movements ofthe switch mechanism to throw the frog to the desired position, and asthis depressed striker comes in contact with the elevatedswitching-block it will ride down the same, thereby swinging therocklever D, which in turn will impart the desired movement to the frog.Now should the next car following desire to change the switch to theopposite direction this will be accomplished by depressing the oppositestriker, but should this car also desire to pass in the same directionas the one preceding both of the strikers will be retained in theirelevated position and the switch left undisturbed, from which it isobvious that the motorman will have perfect control over the switch andthe direction in which his car shall pass without the necessity ofeither stopping the caror manipulating the switch by a hand implement.It is also clear that since one or the other of the switchits ends aswitching-block G, which projects ing-blocks will project considerablyabove the ICO surface of the road-bed, While the other remainssubstantially upon a level therewith, the motorman may determine theposition of the switch before reachin g the same, thereby enabling himto depress the proper striker for bringing about the direction of hiscar without reducing the speed of said car. This will gain considerabletime over the method now in use, as by the old method a car must notonly be brought to a standstill, but time is consumed in the motormanmanipulating the switch by a hand implement.

If desired, rolls S may be carried by the strikers for reducing thefriction therebe tween and the switch-blocks.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis- 1. In combination with a pivoted frog, a rock-lever pivoted belowthe road-bed, blocks carried on each end of the lever, an arm operatedby the lever, a connection between the arm and frog, bars havingratchet-teeth depending from the car-platform, pawls for en gaging theteeth, and a lever for operating the bars, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a frog, a rock-lcver pivoted below the road-bed,blocks carried by the lever and adapted to protrude through theroad-bed, bars depending from the carplatform in position to pass overthe blocks, said bars having ratchet-teeth formed thereon, pawls forengaging the teeth, levers pivoted to the dashboard and operating thebars, said pawls protruding to be engaged by the foot, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER LENTZ.

\Vitn esses: S. WILLIAMsoX, llIARK BUFORD.

